J-1 Exchange Visitor Medical Insurance Requirement

As an Exchange Visitor in J1 status in the United States you must carry health insurance for the full duration your program. Government regulations stipulate if you willfully fail to carry health insurance which meets the minimum federal requirements for yourself and your dependents, your J-1 sponsor must terminate your program and report the termination to the United States Department (DOS) in Washington. If you fail to carry the required health insurance, you will be considered to be “out of status” and ineligible for extension of stay, employment, or change to another status. The Office of International Student Services at Nicholls State University does not have the authority to waive the health insurance requirements for any Exchange Visitor.

The insurance policy you carry must meet or exceed certain minimum requirements. Effective May 15, 2015, the minimum requirements have been updated and are outlined below.

UPDATED MINIMUM HEALTH INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

Deductible amounts. Most insurance policies require you to pay part of your health expenses yourself (your part is called the deductible), before the company pays anything.

The J regulations limit the deductible to $500 per accident or illness.

Co-insurance. Even after you have paid the deductible, an insurance policy usually pays only a percentage of your medical expenses. The policy might pay 80%, for example, and the remaining 20%, which you would have to pay is called the co-insurance. Thus, if you were injured and incurred $3,000 in medical expenses, a policy with a $400 deductible and 20% co-insurance would cover $2,080 (80% of 2,600).

The J regulations limit the co-insurance (the amount the exchange visitor pays) to a maximum of 25% of the covered medical expenses.

Lifetime/per-occurrence maximums. Many insurance policies limit the amount they will pay for any single individual’s medical bill for any specific illness or injury.

Exchange visitors must have insurance with a maximum no lower than $100,000 for each specific illness or injury.

Repatriation coverage. If you should die in the United States, the policy must provide coverage to send your remains to your home country for burial. This is also known as “repatriation”

The J regulations require a minimum repatriation coverage of $25,000.

Medical Evacuation Coverage. This can occur when it is medically necessary to send you home because of a serious illness or injury.

In addition, insurance companies providing health insurance to exchange visitors must have a U.S. based claims office.

MEDICAL INSURANCE COMPANIES

*NOTE* Neither Nicholls State University nor the Office of International Students endorse any particular insurance company. This is a list of possible resources. Feel free to investigate these and other insurance companies to make sure that they meet the DOS requirements and to find a plan that suits your individual needs.